R.K. Russell

Ryan K. Russell, also known as R.K. Russell, was born on January 17, 1992, in Buffalo, New York. He is a professional football player in the NFL, an NYT essayist, published poet, writer, and advocate. Currently, an NFL free agent, Russell was drafted in 2015 by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round. He saw a large part of his success in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers. On April 26, 2019, he released his debut poetry book, "Prison or Passion." In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Russell came out as bisexual on August 29, 2019, and is currently the only male athlete in the four major American professional sports leagues - NFL, NBA, MLB & MLS - to openly identify as bisexual. Coming Fall 2022, R.K. Russell will publish his memoir, The Yards Between Us, under Andscape. The book will trace his experiences discovering his sexuality alongside his football career and explore the defining people and moments in his life; a fresh look at masculinity, sexuality, race, sports, and how they intersect.